Microsoft kills Courier Project

Microsoft’s rumoured Courier tablet had plenty of people excited (including me), with its innovative touch/pen UI it looked like it could challenge the iPad. Sadly it looks like the project has been cancelled, according to Gizmodo

“According to sources familiar with the matter, Microsoft has cancelled Courier, the folding, two-screen prototype tablet that was first uncovered by Gizmodo.

We’re told that on Wednesday, Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer Microsoft execs informed the internal team that had been working on the tablet device that the project would no longer be supported. Courier had never been publicly announced or acknowledged as a Microsoft product.”

I think its a shame an such innovative project has been cancelled, but sometimes these mock-ups look great and then the final product disappoints.  I think we are likely to see a Windows Phone 7 powered tablet at some point. From the demos we have seen so far I think the phone OS would work well on a larger tablet then I am still not convinced we need another device type